This renewal application for the Center of Excellence Endowment Program at Morehouse School of Medicine is submitted in response to RFA-MD-08-001. Resources previously provided by the Center of Excellence Endowment Program were leveraged to assist with recruiting and retaining research scholars, enhancing research-related educational programs and beginning to build the capacity for maintaining and expanding the research infrastructure. The institution has developed a plan to maximally leverage the research endowment resources with funds from other multiple sources and channel these funds into target research areas in which MSM is uniquely poised to play a leadership role. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The continuation of this Research Endowment funding is a vitally important mechanism that will aid in positioning the School for a new level of national prominence. We understand the need to actively seek private funds in order to leverage these research endowment funds in our commitment to becoming a leader in eliminating health disparities and closing the health gap for minorities and the medically underserved.